Syracuse

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Jonny Flynn

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:18:44 -0500

Thanksgiving week is always a hotbed for college basketball -- holiday tournaments and invitationals are a nice reprise for people who don't want to watch riveting NFL blowouts on Thanksgiving or overhyped college football games on Saturday. Plus, there's really nothing better than eating leftovers, laying on the couch and watching some college hoops. As a result of all the top-notch match-ups, there were plenty of outstanding individual performances this week.

Tyler Hansbrough got things kicked off with a dominant performance in the Maui Invitational title game, in only his second game back from injury. Notre Dame's Kyle McAlarney's 39 points were overshadowed in the loss. James Harden of Arizona State had games of 40 and 32 points, but he too could not lead his team to a title. Of course, Blake Griffin had another monster week -- but he doesn't get the CHN Player of the Week again. This week, the honor goes to Syracuse's Jonny Flynn.

The 6-0 sophomore point guard cemented his spot among the nation's elite at his position with a sensational week, leading the Orange to victories over Florida and Kansas en route to a CBE Classic title. 'Cuse also knocked off Virginia. Flynn started the week with an 18-point, four-assist performance against Florida in the semi-finals. In the title game against Kansas, Flynn had 25 points and five assists, including a three-pointer with seconds left in regulation to force the game into overtime. Flynn played 43 minutes against the Jayhawks. To cap the week, Flynn helped the Orange to a comeback victory over Virginia, scoring 15 points and dishing out six assists. He also turned the ball over just twice and played another 39 minutes. On the season, Flynn is averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting nearly 42 percent from three-point range and playing more than 36 minutes per game.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week Archive

- Nov 31: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse

- Nov 24: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

College Basketball: 20 Random Thoughts & Observations

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:42:39 -0500

20 Random Rants, Thoughts, and Observations from the Week in College Basketball by CollegeHoops.net Editor Shawn Siegel:

1 - Jonny Flynn is even better than I ever gave him credit for. He's more than just a speed guy.. he's a money point guard.

2 - Syracuse needs to do some serious work on their ole 2-3 zone. The problem right now is simply personnel. They don't have enough length & height to really cause havoc with their traps.

3 - Damion James (Texas) is up there right now for the Least-Improved Player award.

4 - What's with all the Purdue fans who think their team is the greatest thing since Double Stuffed Oreos?

5 - Blake Griffin has been a monster, but Oklahoma still seems majorly flawed. Willie Warren's putting up decent ppg totals, but needs to become a much more active rebounder, passer, and ball-handler if the Sooners expect to go far.

6 - The Old Spice Classic is loaded. Can't wait for this event.. it puts the Preseason NIT or even Maui to shame.

7 - Bob Knight is getting better as an announcer, but I could still do without him.

8 - Yes, Indiana will stink this year. But Tom Pritchard is a pleasant surprise, he's a legit Big Ten talent, which is more than I expected

9 - Arizona fans better get used to losing. Losing to UAB at home isn't a huge deal, but barely putting away Santa Clara is. The Broncos couldn't even beat FAU.

10 - Get ready to start hearing about Washington State's Klay Thompson. With the way DeRozan and others have struggled, its not even out of the question he could be the Pac-10 ROY.

11 - Back to DeRozan for a sec, he has to be considered a major disappointment so far. 9 ppg wont cut it, especially when you add in his 12 turnovers and just 3 assists. Yes, its early, but I just haven't seen any reason to think he'll be effective in the half-court offense.

12 - On the flip side, Samardo Samuels has been dominant in two blow out wins. 42 points in 50 minutes of play. Louisville plays an extremely soft early schedule so I see no reason why he won't put up big numbers for the next month. He's legit.

13 - Notre Dame needs to hit a couple damn FT's. At least no air balls fellas.

14 - I hyped up VT's Jeff Allen in the off-season as Most Improved Player candidate, and he's made me look good so far averaging 18 and 11 per game. Allen has even more room for improvement left.

15 - I dont think G'Town's Austin Freeman worked out all summer.

16 - Xavier's a very fun team to watch. They have 8 legitimate starting-quality players, and Kenny Frease has serious potential. But yet, they still seem to lack that one go-to guy that will put them over the top. Their depth and athleticism should lead them to an A-10 title, but I don't see a big March run happening this year.

17 - Outside of Drake's surprise season, last year was somewhat of a downer for the MVC. This year looks to be ho hum again, as SIU and Creighton are only okay. Illinois State's off to a nice start but they don't play a good team until January 3rd..

18 - Wright State was supposed to be a contender for the HL title along with Cleveland State and Butler, but the Raiders are 0-3, and coming off a brutal 55-37 home loss to Miami. The team is shooting a hard to imagine 34.8% from the floor.

19 - What are the odds Oregon State loses every game this season against D1 opponents? 50%? 90%?

20 - Anthony Tucker's been a nice find for Iowa. The freshman guard is averaging 16 ppg for a team that desperately needed help scoring the ball. In fact, the Hawkeyes 2nd leading scorer is also a freshman, Matt Gatens. Iowa finally faces a real test this weekend against West Virginia.

- I've been busy getting the pickem game going (why haven't you signed up yet??) and finishing CHN's preseason material, so apologies for the lack of content recently!

GameNight: Kansas vs Syracuse (CBE Final)

Jeff Borzello — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:16:30 -0500

Start: Nov 25 2008 - 10:00pm

Preview & Prediction: By Jeff Borzello

In a rematch of the 2003 NCAA Tournament title game, tonight’s CBE Classic championship will pit Kansas (3-0) and Syracuse (4-0) against each other in a contest between two of the last six national title winners. Both teams are undefeated and were thought of as borderline top-25 teams heading into the season. The Jayhawks lost seven of their top nine players from last season, yet have won their first three games by an average of almost 25 points per game, including a surprising thrashing of Washington in last night’s semifinal. Syracuse is looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament, and the Orange are off to a good start, winning their first four games, including last night’s victory over No. 18 Florida.

Kansas is led by its two main returnees from last season, guard Sherron Collins and center Cole Aldrich. They are the only two double-figure scorers on the roster, and control the perimeter and paint, respectively. Besides those two and guards Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar, the rest of the rotation is newcomers. Guards Tyshawn Taylor and Travis Releford see time on the perimeter, while the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, and Quintrell Thomas anchor the frontcourt. On the other side, an experienced Syracuse side has four double-figure scorers and plenty of offensive options. Jonny Flynn is one of the best point guards in the country, while Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins seem fully recovered from their injuries that kept them out most of last season. Paul Harris is one of the most versatile players in the country at forward. Arinze Onuaku is a load to handle down low.

Both teams are trying to get back somewhere – Kansas to the Final Four and Syracuse to the NCAA Tournament. Each is off to a good start, but one will fall short here. The Jayhawks are a young group that is still getting their feet wet in college, while the Orange have plenty of experience and talent. Tonight, that experience will make the difference, despite the fact Syracuse’s defense was torched by Florida all night in the semifinals; Kansas simply doesn’t have the offensive firepower to take advantage of the Orange’s deficiency.

WINNER: Syracuse MARGIN: 4-6

CBE Classic Preview

Kevin McNeill — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:47:53 -0500

CBE Classic (Nov 24-25)

Syracuse vs. Florida

Kansas vs. Washington

Before you turn on the TV for this tournament, do yourself a favor. Forget about last season. None of these teams resemble what you saw a year ago.

National champion Kansas lost no less than eight players from their roster, five of them to the NBA Draft. For just about any other program this would mean a dreadful rebuilding year. Not Kansas.

Coach Bill Self has yet again proven why he is one of the very best recruiters anywhere. Not only has he landed a stellar freshmen class, but also welcomes JuCo transfer Mario Little, who could well wind up as a first team all-conference guard (though he's unfortunately out for the first month). Throw in the fact that Sherron Collins will be back (already scoring 20 ppg), and that they will be playing in Kansas City, the Jayhawks could walk away from this tournament seemingly not missing a beat from seven months earlier.

Interestingly enough, should Kansas get by Washington, they could face a rematch of the 2003 title game with Syracuse, a game that could almost be as good as the last one.

Before the start of last season, Syracuse was not only hungry to avenge their NCAA Tournament snub, but had their sights set on a low seed. Then their go-to shooters each blew out a knee and were lost for the season. Soon after, troubled guard Josh Wright left the team mid-season, leaving the Orange with all of seven scholarship players, forcing just about every starter - especially freshmen Jonny Flynn and Donte Green - to play as much as 38 to 40 minutes a game. The team wore down faster than the season, and Syracuse once again ended up in the NIT, only this time it was no snub.

Now Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins are back and healthy, and ready to boost emerging star Flynn in the backcourt. Greene is off to play for pay, but this still looks like a team that can contend in the Big East, especially if the development of junior bruisers Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku continue on the path they have been.

Contrary to popular belief, Washington will not be counting entirely (just mostly) on senior Jon Brockman, who led the team in scoring and had twice as many rebounds as anyone else on the roster, to help them put together a winning season this time around. No, this year, they are putting their faith in a freshman.

Isaiah Thomas, a 5-8 guard from South Kent in Connecticut, is one on the most hyped freshmen ever to come to Seattle. His incredible speed and scoring ability is expected to bring back the high-flying, up-tempo style Washington loves to play. This should be an improved team from the one that lost in the first round of something called the College Basketball Invitational last year.

Florida will be the one team that bears the closest resemblance to the team they fielded last season, returning all their starters except Marreese Speights, who left for the NBA. Still, this team should be greatly improved as their incredible freshman class from a year ago gets ready to take the next step, especially Nick Calathes, who could well be the player of the year in the SEC. The Gators also feature no less than six freshmen on the roster, with a couple of 6-10 forwards - Eloy Vargas and Kenny Kadji - leading the way. It would be shocking if Florida does not find itself deep into the NCAA Tournament next March.

GameNight: Florida vs Syracuse (CBE)

Fairway Jay — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:56:21 -0500

Start: Nov 24 2008 - 7:30pm

Preview & Prediction: By Fairway Jay

The CBE Classic semifinals continue at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Florida (3-0) comes off 64-50 win over Southern Utah, but they shot a horrid 1-16 shooting night from 3-point range. The Gators defensive pressure and ability to guard will be better this season after finishing 10^th in field goal defense and ninth in rebounding last season. Florida’s young but experienced core group is a more cohesive and together unit in coach Billy Donovan’s system. The Gators are solid on the perimeter with Nick Calathes and Walter Hodge providing solid outside shooting. Calethes leads the Gators in scoring, rebounding and assists, and the early season question is who will man the middle for Florida? Dan Werner and Chandler Parson’s will be counted on to rebound and provide the strength inside.

Florida has shown a full-court press this early season and this contest with Syracuse could turn into a up-and-down fast paced contest. Syracuse (3-0) was a preseason top 20 team yet projected to finish 5^th or 6^th in the Big East Conference. That tells you all you need to know about the Big East. Syracuse returns a talented young core led by playmaking point guard and leading scorer Jonny Flynn. The co-Big East Rookie-of-the-Year led the Big East in minutes played as a freshman, and guided the very young Orange to 21 wins and a 9-9 finish in the Big East.

It will be interesting to see how much Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim uses his trademark 2-3 zone against Florida and their outside shooters. If they use more pressure and man-to-man, the Orange should generate a quicker tempo and more scoring chances in transition. Syracuse has scored 86, 76 and 85 points in their three opening games, and a deeper bench this year will allow them to run more often without the core five tiring in the second half. With Eric Davendorf and Andy Rautins back healthy with Flynn in the backcourt, and Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku providing great strength and rebounding inside, we’ll call for Syracuse to pull the minor upset and advance to the tournament championship game.

Winner: Syracuse Margin: 1-4 points

College Football: Saturday Touchdowns

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:34:55 -0500

Heading into this Saturday it seemed like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were well on their way to a seventh victory and a berth in either the Gator or Sun Bowl. All they had to do was beat Syracuse, playing for a recently dismissed head coach in Greg Robinson and dead last in the Big East. But while the Orange haven't played particularly well this season, you can't accuse this team of quitting. What ensued was one of the more stunning results of the day, with Syracuse stunning the Irish 24-23 on a late touchdown pass. Where do the Irish go from here? USC is the finale next week, and a loss there puts them at 6-6 and in a very tough situation. A 6-6 team can't be taken ahead of a team with a 7-5 record or better, so they could be in a very undesirable locale...if they accept a bid in that case. Beat USC and it doesn't matter, but they'll have a tough task in front of they in the Coliseum.

Here are the seven key points for this Saturday. And congrats to Florida State safety Myron Rolle for being named a Rhodes Scholar today. It's much better to hear this news when it comes to Florida State than hearing about receivers being suspended for getting into a lunchroom brawl.

1. Boy was I wrong about that Texas Tech/Oklahoma game.

Going into this one, it surprised me how quickly people were jumping off the Texas Tech bandwagon for their showdown in Norman with the Sooners, so much so that I actually picked the Red Raiders to win. Let's say it all together: fool. What ensued was one of the worst beatings of the season when you take into consideration the quality of the two teams, with the Sooners running away 65-21 in a game that was essentially over when Tech failed to convert a 4th-and-6 just past midfield with about twelve minutes left...in the second quarter. The Sooner offense did what it pleased, putting up more than 600 yards of offense in a brutally effiecient fashion (326 passing, 299 rushing). But that defense needs some credit as well, limiting the nation's best passing offense to 406 yards of total offense (45 on the ground) and 1-for-13 on third downs. That's not going to get it done if your on the road in a game of this magnitude.

Now the question is this: do the Sooners move ahead of Texas in the BCS standings when they're unveiled tomorrow afternoon? That depends on what pollsters and the computers value: the head-to-head meeting (which Texas won) or who's playing better football right now (Oklahoma would win that argument given what they did tonight). To push OU ahead of Texas would be, in some way, blaming the Longhorns for playing that game in early October and that wouldn't be fair at all. We shall see what happens, and what makes it all the more important is that in the case of a three-way tie the team ranked highest in the BCS is the one that goes to the Big 12 Championship Game.

2. Utah completes their undefeated season. Now they have to wait for two weeks.

The Utes got the job done against bitter rival BYU, picking off Max Hall five times in the 48-24 beating. Now 12-0, Kyle Whittingham's team is pretty much assured of a BCS at-large slot and they've earned it. QB Brian Johnson had an outstanding game in his final appearance in Rice-Eccles Stadium, going 30-36 for 303 yards and four touchdowns along with twenty-eight yards on the ground. But it was the Utah defense that made the difference in this one, forcing six turnovers and holding the Cougars to 4-12 on third down. The two-week wait should be little more than a coronation of what they've accomplished, but you never know with this system.

3. Cincinnati holds on to put a virtual chokehold on the Big East race.

Pittsburgh made this game close in the fourth quarter, scoring fourteen unanswered points to reach the 28-21 final. But this was the product of a dominant defensive showing by the Bearcats (264 total yards allowed and seven sacks) and QB Tony Pike's play in leading the Bearcat offense (26-32, 309 yards and three touchdowns). Now Brian Kelly's team is one win, over Syracuse next weekend, from clinching the Big East and heading most likely to the FedEx Orange Bowl (hence fans showering the field with oranges). But Syracuse won't be thought of as a pushover in that locker room, especially with what the Orange accomplished in South Bend. To think about where this program was in their final seasons in Conference USA (the New Orleans Bowl to the BCS? Almost like the Notorious B.I.G.'s quote about going from "ashy to classy") makes their rise all the more spectacular.

But there an unfortunate consequence of Cincinnati's success: Coach Kelly's name could be thrown around in regards to high-profile job openings in the month between the end of the regular season and their bowl game. But that's all for another day for Cincinnati, who should celebrate their recent success (their first-ever win over Pitt).

4. The dream lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

There were two plays that could have led Oregon State fans to believe that their first trip to Pasadena in more than forty years wasn't meant to be: James Rodgers dropping a deep ball that would have been the game-tying touchdown, then kicker Justin Kahut hooking a potentially game-tying extra point to leave the Beavers down 17-16 with four minutes remaining. But a pair of unlikely heroes stepped up in the 19-17 comeback victory: backup quarterback Sean Canfield and wide receiver Sammie Stroughter. With both players possessing a wealth of experience the word "unlikely" is a stretch, but given the amount of attention heaped upon the Rodgers brothers (Jacquizz was lost to injury and wasn't available) they've been forgotten by some.

It was this combination that picked up the slack for James Rodgers on that touchdown drive, and once again on the gamewinning charge with a deep ball to put Kahut in position to keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive. Kahut did just that, hitting the kick as time expired. Every week people look for the wheels to fall off and the dream to die. But the Beavers continue to win games, with guys stepping up on a weekly basis. Maybe they are a team of destiny. Oregon will look to change that in the "Civil War" next weekend.

5. We finally have some frontrunners in the ACC. I think.

It's all cut and dry for these two teams: Boston College (Atlantic) and Virginia Tech (Coastal) win next week and they'll meet in Tampa on December 6th. The only other teams with a shot are Florida State and Georgia Tech, who need those two to lose in order to get in. Boston College, who lost starting QB Chris Crane to a broken collarbone in their come-from-behind 24-21 win at Wake Forest. The Eagles did a good job in keeping both teams in the game, with miscues setting up all 21 Demon Deacon points before winning the game in the end. Dominique Davis led the gamewinning drive for BC, but the credit for this win should go to their defense for holding Wake to under 200 yards of total offense. Other than taking advantage of the Eagle mistakes, Wake Forest did nothing on offense.

As for the Hokies, they didn't look pretty against Duke but they won the game and that's what's most important. Nine combined turnovers made this game an eyesore, but Virginia Tech did manage to rush for 187 yards on the night. Duke's longest passing play: a 23-yard pick-six by Virginia Tech's Macho Harris. The Blue Devils finished the game with twenty yards in the air and 136 yards total offense. Next weekend, the Eagles host Maryland (37-3 loser to FSU tonight) while the Hokies host rival Virginia (13-3 loser to Clemson).

6. Washington State picks up their first Pac-10 win of the season while rival Washington remains winless.

Missed field goals are what did in the Huskies in this one, with a missed 40-yarder keeping the Cougars within three in the fourth quarter and a missed chip shot in the second overtime setting the stage for Wazzu's victory. For as hard as they've played this season, Washington has found ways to lose football games and this one has to hurt considering how dominant they'd been in the trenches on both sides of the football. But give credit to Washington State, which hung around and found a way to win the Apple Cup in the end. The Huskies have one more shot at getting that elusive victory with a trip to Cal next week, but how much do they really have left in the tank? They'll be decided underdogs in Berkeley, but this much is known: they will compete. There are other teams in similar situations (tough year, coaching change, etc.) who have mailed it in but neither UDub or Wazzu has done that, And you have to give those kids and their coaches some credit (instead of pointing and laughing at their misfortune) for that even though it hasn't panned out in the form of wins.

7. Penn State headed back to the Rose Bowl. And Michigan has a lot of work to do this offseason.

The Nittany Lions were dominant from start to finish in their 49-18 victory over Michgan State, picking up the 800th win in school history at the same time. Darryl Clark, who has been criticized by some for his uneven play of late, threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover in the beating, and that defense held Javon Ringer to 42 yards on the ground. The Spartans needed QB Brian Hoyer to attempt around twenty-five passes or so to have a shot in this one, meaning that Ringer was having a productive day running the football. Hoyer threw forty passes, and he was even replaced by backup Kirk Cousins late. Penn State is a talented football team on both sides of the football, but also an example of what one bad quarter (4th quarter at Iowa) can do to your national title dreams if you're not careful.

As for the Wolverines, there really isn't much to analyze in their 42-7 pasting at the hands of Ohio State, They hung in there for a half, going into the locker room down just 14-7. But things got out of hand quickly, with Dan Herron breaking a 49-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the second half. From there Michigan had to try their luck through the air, and Nick Sheridan isn't ready to make plays in the passing game. It got ugly, and with nine losses and an embarassing defeat to the hated Buckeyes this is an extremely important offseason for Rich Rodriguez and his staff. Regardless of the system used, that was not Michigan Football, and their fanbase will not accept anything less than marked improvement next year.

Offensive Performance of the Day: West Virginia QB Pat White. White ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns on twenty-one carrier along with 6-11 for 122 yards and two touchdowns through the air in the Mountaineers' 35-21 win at Louisville. White is now the all-time NCAA leader in rushing yards by a quarterback, passing Missouri's Brad Smith. And he also is the Big East's all-time leader in total touchdowns, passing Syracuse's Donovan McNabb.

Big East Coach Ranking: Sweet Sixteen

Dan Daitchman — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:17:50 -0500

The 2008-09 Big East season should bring as much excitement as any. Commonly regarded as the toughest conference in college basketball, it has the potential to put 9+ teams into the NCAA tournament come March.

At the backbone of a great team comes a great coach, and the Big East has plenty of great coaches. But which coaches are the best? Let's just say that a well-padded résumé is not enough to give a coach top honors in this conference.

1. John Thompson III (Georgetown) - Like father like son, JT III has brought Georgetown back to national attention. His teams display great hustle regardless of score, and perennially sport a top-5 defense. The other mark of a great coach? Winning close games. Last year, Georgetown won six Big East games by 3 points or less.

2. Jim Calhoun (UConn) - Truly one of the elite coaches in college basketball. He's got the hardware to support his hall-of-fame status, and puts impact players in the NBA (See the careers of Ray Allen, Ben Gordon, and Emeka Okafor for further details).

3. Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) - When your signature is a decal of the court you coach on, you know you've done well. Nobody runs a better 2-3 zone defense than Jim Boeheim. He recruits great talent and has never missed the NCAA tournament 3 years in a row.

4. Rick Pitino (Louisville) - Not enough can be said about the Godfather. He's the only coach to take 3 teams to the Final Four. His squad always plays well as a team, and nobody mixes zone and man-to-man defense better then the Cardinals.

5. Bob Huggins (West Virginia) - Regardless of his off-the-court antics, this guy can flat out coach. He brought the 21^st century version of phi slamma jamma to Cincinnati, a perennial top-15 team. He gave K-State a great run at the NCAA tourney in his short term there, and left a full cupboard of talent in Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. Huggins silenced a lot of critics last year when the 7^th-seed Mountaineers knocked off 2^nd-seed Duke to reach the Sweet 16.

6. Jamie Dixon (Pitt) - Pitt has become a familiar name in the NCAA tournament thanks to this guy. He's moved up a rung in the recruiting latter by getting big-time local talent in Dejuan Blair, who grew up a mile from the Petersen Events Center. Dixon is an Elite-8 away from becoming a premier coach in college basketball.

7. Jay Wright (Villanova) - He's the classiest coach in basketball. He's brought Villanova back to playing their best basketball since the '85 championship. Some of the best guards in the country have stopped through Philadelphia as of late. The future holds similar high hopes, as Villanova's 2009 class is ranked in the top 5 by Scouts Inc.

8. Mike Brey (Notre Dame) - As Dick Vitale once said, nobody fits a program better than Mike Brey at Notre Dame. He's created a very balanced attack that will continue to give a lot of teams fits this year.

9. Keno Davis (Providence) - Out with the old, in with the new. Davis led the Drake Bulldogs on a magical run to the NCAA tournament last year and was a buzzer-beater away from making the second round. Keno inherits a program full of disappointment from last year and hopes to turn things around.

10. Mick Cronin (Cincinnati) - Cincy hasn't been the same since Huggins left, but Cronin has been steadily building his alma mater into a contender once again.

11. Jerry Wainwright (DePaul) - One quality about all of Wainwright's teams: they play tough. The Blue Demons have knocked off a ranked team each year for the past three years.

12. Buzz Williams (Marquette) - Buzz hasn't had much time as head coach yet, and will try to remove the sour taste Tom Crean left in fans' mouths. One thing is true: he's a great recruiter. Three of his recruiting classes in the last 8 years have been in the top 50, all at mid-major or high-major schools. He helped Texas A&M in becoming a top-tier program, and his 2009 class for Marquette is ranked 5^th by Scouts Inc.

13. Stan Heath (South Florida) - Football gets more hype than basketball these days in Tampa, but Heath's Bulls have shown they're a sleeper team. Last year featured wins over Syracuse and Florida State, and a 1-point loss in overtime to 17^th-ranked UConn.

14. Fred Hill (Rutgers) - Hill has done nothing but lose games since he's shown up in New Brunswick, but he's brought in two top-tier recruits in Mike Rosario and Gregory Echenique, who he hopes will help the Scarlet Knights climb out of last place.

15. Norm Roberts (St. John's) - This is not Lou Carnesecca's Redmen of the 80s. Norm needs to quickly rebuild a team that's in danger of losing court time at Madison Square Garden.

16. Bobby Gonzalez (Seton Hall) - This is a team that's won 3 Big East road games in the last 2 seasons. That won't cut it anywhere, especially in the toughest conference in college basketball.